We are, Brian and Taunya Smith, a couple from the North of England, now living permanently in France, and we would like to invite you to share our beautiful lake-side location in the wonderful Haute Vienne region of Limousin. We will do our very best to make sure that you have a superb holiday.

We would appreciate the opportunity to welcome you to our 'Little piece of Paradise'.

About The Area

Location: 21 Laprade, 87290, Balledent.

We are in the 87, Haute Vienne area of the Limousin. The area is famous for it's forests and beautiful countryside and, of course it's lakes. For lots of info about the Limousin, please check out 'I Love Limousin' website at

There are two famous lakes in the area, about 20 minutes away is Lac St. Pardoux which is a popular holiday destination with all the usual water sports available. Further afield, on the Haute Vienne/Creuse border, is the immense 1000 hectare Lac de Vassiviere (http://restaurant-tourisme-vedettes-monuments-historiques-limoges.escale-vassiviere.com/restaurant.html), again worth a trip for water sport and nature enthusiasts and also the dining cruises. About 5 minutes from our gites is the river Gartempe, a favourite with locals and visitors alike for fishing and canoeing, you will enjoy walking along it's banks, also our own river Couze, to see the wonderful wildlife, there are wild boar and deer, the trees abound with birds both large and small.

The famous 2nd World War martyr village of Oradour sur Glane (http://www.oradour.info) is somewhere that is worth the short trip to visit.

The city of Limoges is famous for it's porcelain and has a superb historic centre with timbered shops and houses which survived the war-time bombs, it is also on the pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostella and has a stunning Cathedral.

There is the superb old town of Chauvigny with it's ruined mediaeval castle where you can watch the falconers flying a large variety of birds from Storks and Condors to Barn owls and Macaws, truly a visit not to be missed.

There are so many other places to see, too many to list here but, which we can direct you to, if you are interested when you arrive.